20 November 2007

Today's Reading November 20

This is Thanksgiving week in the States, culminating on Thursday the 22nd. We ought to be grateful people, thanking the Lord every minute of everyday for His many blessings, but do not forget to make a special effort toward that this week.

This morning' s Old Testament reading is Ezekiel chapters 22 and 23. This just wears me down, as it must have Ezekiel, and Jeremiah before him and Isaiah before him and Elisha and Elijah and so many others. But there are some things here to pay particular attention to. Sunday's reading made mention of our duty to warn others, lest their blood be on our hands. Today there is a passage, a verse, that may be familiar to some.

22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.
A righteous man, even in the midst of that, one that was willing to stand forth, might have protected the whole land. But there was none. Ever think your voice, your prayers, your stance, don't matter? Guess again.

And, in chapter 23,
38 Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
After having sacrificed their own children to the idols, they then, on the very same day, came into the temple to 'worship' the true God. Hedging their bets, perhaps. Remember the Greatest Commandment? the Shema'a? Deuteronomy 6:4-9, partly shown here:
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Mark 12:29
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deut 10:12 Matt 22:37 Mark 12:30 Luke 10:27
I don't see any provision there for ''hedging your bets''.

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This evening's New Testament passage is chapter 2 from the book of James.
Chapter 2
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Lev 19:18 Matt 5:43 Matt 19:19 Matt 22:39 Mark 12:31 Rom 13:9 Gal 5:14
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Deut 27:26 Gal 3:10
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Exod 20:14,13
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 Gal 3:6 Isa 41:8
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James is really not into what Dietrich Bohhoeffer called ''Cheap Grace''.

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